Article handling device



y 1933. w. H. DENNEY ET AL 1,907,347

ARTICLE HANDLING DEVICE Filed Aug. 12, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet l :Jwuewllocs WtZZar'dHDenne May 2, 1933. w. H DENNEY ET AL ARTICLE HANDLING DEVICE Filed Aug. 12, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WZZZaraH Denny fli by H .Denn

Patented May 2, 1933 warren s'ra'ras WILLARD H.13ENNEY AND snnmsv H. .nnnnnzor rRoY, o'HIo' ARTICLE HANDLING DEVICE Application filed August 12, 1931. Serial No. 556,697.

Our invention relates to article handling devices, more particularly to a device for transferring articles to and from moving Vehicles, such as airplanes and the like, and

it consists in the combinations, constructions, and arrangements herein shown and de scribed. r e

A primary purpose of our invention is to provide a device that will transfer articles to 19 and from moving vehicles,such as airplanes,

without the necessity of said vehiclesstopping to put off or take on said articles, thus relieving mail pilots, airplane pilots en aged in general merchandise hauling, and'the like, from the necessity of bringing their airplanes or similar vehicles to a stop to accomplish the delivery or taking on of articles such as mail sacks or freight. I

A further object of our invention is to provide a device of the type described which will allow such delivery or transfer of the article whether the airplane be coming from a given direction for which the device is set up, or from theopposite direction.

A still further object of our invention is to provide a device of the type described which will accomplish a delivering and a receiving operation simultaneously, thus making only a single passage of the airplane'or other device necessary for accomplishing both of these functions. 1

. A fourth object of our invention is to provide a device of the type described that will assure retention of the articles handled either on the vehicle or the ground receiving station, after the transfer operations have taken place.

A fifth object of our invention is to provide a device of the type described which may be readily folded away when not in use, so as not to interfere with the landing gear or other equipment on the airplane or similar vehicle.

A sixth object of our invention is to pro vide a device of the type described which may be readily adjusted to fit the needs of the individual operator without great diificulty.

A seventh object of our invention is to provide a device of the'type described which has and is simple to manufacture;

few parts, does not get out of order easily,

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds and the invention will be more particularly defined in the appended claims.

" Our device is illustrated in the'accom panying drawings forming a part of this application, in which 1 L Figure 1 is an elevational view of our invention set up for operation,

Figure 2 is an end elevational vlew of a portion of the device, 1 V

e n F igure3 is a sectional view on line 33 of Figure 2, v r Figure 4 is a detail View of a portion of the device,

Figure 5 is a similar view, Y i. Figure 6 is a fragmentary detail view of a portion of the device, and

V Figure? is a sectional-view on line 77 of Figure 6.. I Y

Our invention comprises a portion, 1, which we call the ground station, and a portion, 2, which is aflixed to the airplane, 3, or'similar 5 vehicle, for cooperation with the ground'sta- :This ground station comprises a frame, 4', consisting of the"diagonally positioned members, 5, bracing members, 6, and the connect- 180 in beams, 7. It supports for rotation in its upper extremity a shaft, 8,- having the radially extending members, 9 and 10,- projecting therefrom. Each of these radially extending members is equipped with a package delivering and receiving apparatus that will be presently described. The shaft 8 is rotated by means of a sprocket, 11, positioned at one extremity thereof, and the gear system, corn prising the chain 12 and cooperating sprocket 13, connected thereto. This sprocket 13 may be mounted for rotation on the beams 7, as appears most clearly in Figure 1. It is adapted for rotation in this embodiment by manual means 14, although any suitable form of power means may be used. A pawl and ratchet device, indicated at 15 and 16, will fix the device against rotationwhen desired. The apparatus at either extremity of the radially extending members 9 and 10, for

taking on or delivering the mail or freight to the passing airplane or similar vehicle, comprises in each case a similarly formed but oppositely disposed member, which we call a double L or Z-shaped apparatus. The form of this apparatus is shown most clearly in Figure 3. This apparatus is rigidly secured at a central point, 17 thereon to the extremity of the desired radial member, 9 or 10. The lower member 18 in Figure 2, secured to the extremity of the radial member 10, has an arm 19 at one end projecting at a normal to the axes of the member, with a convex head 20at the extremity of said member 19. This head 20 may be formed of spring steel or other suitable material and may be in length a little greater than the: diameter of the opening in the ring 22 or any suitable smaller length, so that the same will sna'ppingly engage within said ring and be retained thereon. To as sure retention of the ring over this'head, the same is constructed along an arc of sufiiciently small curvature to' assure retention of the ring thereon when in any position except a nearly entirely inverted one. This head 20 is provided for a purpose that will be made clear later on in the specification. The other extremity of the member 18 has projecting at a normal to its axes a second arm, 20a, having formed therein a pair of clip members 21, which grip the ring 22 of the article handling device proper 23, to Which the articles, such as mail bags or freight, are attached. These clips 21 may be formed of resilient steel or any other suitable material. The member 24 positioned at the extremity of the radial member 9 is similar in form to the member 18, but arranged in a manner reverse thereto. It has the member 25 at the opposite end ofthe axes of the device from the similarly formed member-19 of the apparatus 18, and the clips 26 for retaining the article holding device proper at the opposite 'end from that of the clips 21 on apparatus '18. This arrangement permits the-airplane to re ceive packageswhile coming in either of two directions, as will be described later on in the specification. v

l The article handling devices proper 23, comprising the rings 22, and flanges 27 connected to said rings, having apertures 28 therein for receiving hooks, clips, or other fastening means attached to the articles or baggage,.29. Any desired number of these apertures 28 may be provided for this purpose. At the upper extremities of each of these devices 23 and pivotally mounted on the rings 22, are fingers 30 for connection to the part of the equipment of the airplane or similar vehicle, as will be set forth presently. The portion of our apparatus which en gages in the transfer of the articles on the airplane is similarly formed to the apparatus 18 or 24 utilizing our ground station, except for the fact that it uses in place of the clips 21 or 26 for engaging or positioning the article handling device proper 23, a slot and tongue connection, consisting of the tongue 30 on the member 23, as heretofore described, and the slot 31 on the arm 20a of the double L or Z-shaped member. This arm 20a, comprising the two aws32 formed about the slot 31, is held in tightfitting relationship with the tongue 30 by means of a resilient member 33, such as an enlarged rubber band, secured thereabout. It can easily be understood that, because of the resiliency of this member 33, the jaws 32 may be held in tight relationship with the tongue 30 of the article handling device proper 23, thus assuring retention of the same until properly removed therefrom. The opposite extremity 34 of the member 35 on the airplane is formed in a manner similar to the arm 19 and need not be further described; This apparatus 35 is rigidly secured to an extension member 36, pivotally mounted either on the shaft 37 of the landing gear, or on a similar shaft fastened to the airplane or other vehicle and provided with atelescoping. adjustment 38 intermediate the length thereof, for allowing the operator to place the article handling device proper 34: at any desired position below the airplane.

The exte'nsion member 36 may be swung to an out-of-the-way position, that is upwardly in a counter-clockwise direction, by means of a flexible member connected adjacent the outer extremity thereof, running about the idler 41 and connected for awinding operation to a rotatable member 4:2, rotated either bya motor, shown vat 43, or in any other suitable manner, such as by manual means (not shown) or other mechanical means. The article handling apparatus on the airplane maybe moved thusly to. an out-of-the-way position when not in use during the operation, or may be moved to the operative position for allowing loading or unloading. of mail or similar articles to and from the same for the transfer, or after the transfer operation, by simply operating the motor 43 in the desired direction, or the means utilized in place of said motor.

From the, foregoing description the use and operation of our device is easily understood. The frame 4 may be set up in any desired direction and in fact may be equipped with casters or other means (not shown) to set up the device for receiving or delivering packages from or to vehiclessuch as airplanes, approaching from any desired direction. The operator of the ground station then observes from which direction the oncoming airplane will take on or deliver the article. He then secures the article or mail to the article handling device proper 23, as heretofore set forth, and fastens the same by means of the clips to either the member 18 or the member 24, according to the desired direction in which he wishes the operation to be accomplished. By the manual means shown at 14, he then rotates the apparatus 18 or 24 to which the article is secured to the elevated position, as shown in the case of the apparatus 24 in Figures 1 and 2, and secures the same in said position by means of the pawl and ratchet mechanism 15 and 16.

The oncoming pilot of the airplane or other vehicle attaches his article to be delivered to the ground station in a similar manner to the article handling device proper 23, and secures the same between the jaws 32 of the apparatus 35, shown most clearly in Figures 1 and 7. He then lowers the apparatus to the downwardmost position, as shown most clearly in Figure 1, by operation of the motor 43 or the motivating apparatus substituted for said motor. As the airplane passes over the ground station, the arm 19 will engage within the ring 23 on the airplane and forcibly withdraw the tongue 30 from be tween the jaws 32 of the apparatus 35, and seize and retain the ring thereon.

During this operation or an instant thereafter, the arm 34 will engage within the ring 23 positioned on the apparatus 24 of the ground station and snatch the same from the clips 26 retaining the same. The air pilot has then only to elevate the member 36 by means of the motor and remove the article and ring from the arm 34, as is easily understood. The ring 23 will be retained on the arm 34 by means of the head 20 thereon of sufficient curvature to retain the same in position during this operation. The operator of the ground station has then only to lower the apparatus 24 by revolving the members 9 and 10 about the shaft 8 by actuation of the manual means 14, thus accomplishing the transfer.

If the operator of the ground station wishes to accomplish the transfer in the opposite direction, he need only secure the article to the apparatus 18and elevate the same in place of the apparatus 24, when the pilot of the airplane can accomplish the transfer operation from the opposite direction, as is easily understood.

It is thus seen that we have provided an apparatus that will enable the transfer of articles such as mail and freight, to and from airplanes and like vehicles when the same are in motion; that is equipped to accomplish its functions either in the given direction or a direction reverse thereto, and that is further adapted to positively retain the articles in position both before and after the transfer operation, thus assuring a safe transfer.

What we desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for delivering articles to airplanes and the like, comprising a rotatable shaft, a radially extending support positioned on said shaft for supporting the article at the outer extremity thereof, means for-rotating said-shaft to elevate said supporting member, and means on the airplane or similar device for seizing and'retaining thearticle. v

2. Means for delivering articles to'an'airplane or the like', compri'sing a ringfor connection to the article',-means for'releasably supporting said ring in anelevated position, and means on the airplane for seizingan'd retaining said 'ring,"consisting of a -horizontally extending armfor proj ecti-on'through said ring upon-passage of the airplane thereover, having a member bentbackwards at its extremities,-'said extremities being free for assuring retention of the ring thereon, and means for supporting said horizontally extending arm below said 'airplane.-

1 T 3. Means for'delivering articles toan airplane or the like, comprising a ring for connection to the article, means for releasably supporting said ring in an elevated position, and means on the airplane for seizing and retaining said ring, consisting of a horizontally extending arm for projection through said ring, means on said arm for retaining said ring thereon, a pivotally mounted arm supporting said horizontally extending arm below the airplane, a flexible member connected to the end of said supporting arm, and means for moving said flexible member in two directions of motion for swinging said supporting arm to the operative and inoperative positions.

4. A device for receiving articles from airplanes and the like, comprising a rotatable member, a radially extending arm positioned on said rotatable member, a second radially extending arm positioned diametrically 0pposite said first-named radially extending arm, a horizontally extending arm positioned on said first-named arm, a ring positioned on the airplane for connection to the article and for engagement about said horizontally extending arm upon passage of'the airplane Z thereover, and a second horizontally extending arm on said second-named radially ex' tending arm oppositely disposed to said firstnamed horizontally extending arm, for engagement with the article carrying rings of airplanes passing in an opposite direction.

5. A device for simultaneously receiving and delivering articles from and to airplanes and the like, comprising a rotatable member,

radially extending supporting arms'posi tion-ed on said rotatable member, and diametrically to one another, horizontally extending members positioned on the extremities of each of said arms, said horizontally extending members having arms positioned at their opposite ends, and means for supporting rings attached to the articles at their other extremities, anda member positioned below said airplane having an arm at one of its extremities for projection through one 5130 of the rings of the first-named members, and

a ring at its other extremity for engagement 7 about one of said firstna1ned arms, whereby rotation of the rotatable, member by an operator places the desired member in elevated position for receiving and delivering articles in one of two opposite directions.

6.-A device for delivering articles from 7' airplanes and the like While in motion, comprising means to which the article is attached, means for supporting said article attaching means to the airplane in a releasable manner, comprising a tongue on one-of said members, a slotted portion in the other of said members, and resilient means engageable about said slotted portion for securing the same about said tongue, and a ground station having means for projecting through the rings to forcibly release the same from the airplane.

WILLARD H.- DENNEY. SHELBY H. DENNEYP 

